Six on Saturday -31 October 2026

 My Body Clock is still on British Summer Time, no surprise there, and the garden is still looking wonderful considering all the rain and wind we have had.  For more ruminations of matters gardening there is a bundle of links worth chasing around, over on Jim's post, from plant enthusiasts.

Lets get on with Six observations from my garden this week

1. Colour: I like colour, and the little maple has moved from her green outfit, to the colourful one.

Acer Wakaranai (Japanese for 'unknown')

2. I do like a little violet, and amazingly this little one has been flowering throughout the hot summer, it is in a shady place, and didn't have any water.  For some reason it has a 'receding' bottom lip.  I don't know whether this is standard.I have s pied a better form, and may have to get this one. 

Viola hederacea

3. It was really hot and dry as we all know in the UK this year.  One plant that didn't do well at all was the lovely frothy white flowered Thalictrum delavayi 'Splendide'.  Maybe I ought just to have dug it out and thrown it away.  It was probably in the wrong place anyway: too hot and dry.  I just couldn't bear to do this, so I dug it up the roots, repotted them, gave them a good water, and just look at them putting on good new growth.

Thalictrum delavayi splendide

4.  Cyclamen are not just for flowers, some of them have different leaves.  I like all of them. The Hederifolium like this one, make super winter soil cover.

Cyclamen Lysander Ashwood Nurseries

5. There are still flowers over in the sunny part of  the garden too.  Such as this Chrysanthemum given to me by Erica as a division from the plant in her garden. We think is it called 'Dulwich Pink'.  There were some very large bumblebees visiting the flowers this week.

Chrysanthemum Dulwich Pink

6. Over in the middle of the gravel garden is a Verbena.  Its dark metallic leaves and thin arching stems of seeds adds a dark mysterious element, and is nicely contrasted against the pale gravel.  Yet it is not easy to photography, yet so pleasing to the eye.

Verbena officinalis 'Bampton'

On the  31st day of  strength training during October, which is today, I am delighted to say that I have been convinced that it is possible to see a marked improvement in just four weeks of exercises. Today all the exercises for seven days plus warm ups and cool downs were done in just under half an hour.  Any further donations will help the British Heart Foundation.  I had set a goal of £250 and thanks to you all for helping me raise even more.  I shall continue with 'Strong Woman for Life'.